"I don't believe in charity. I believe in solidarity. Charity is so vertical.It goes from top to bottom. Solidarity is horizontal. It respects the other person. I have a lot to learn from other people." (Eduardo Galeano)

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Participation

There seems to be a common theme emerging in everything that I'm studying and reading about inclusion for students with "significant disabilities" and that is one of focusing on finding ways to increase participation rather than just focusing on "access to curriculum".

I have just finished a group project for my masters program where we looked at SMART inclusion. The course we are currently taking focuses on UDL, DI and Assessment. SMART inclusion starts with the concepts of UDL and DI but then uses the Participation Model and Aided Language Stimulation (two SLP concepts) to ensure that all students are able to participate in the class both socially and academically. Check out the SMART inclusion wiki which was created by the founders of the concept for background: http://smartinclusion.wikispaces.com/Smart+Inclusion+Home and check out the website we created that synthesizes what we learned while looking up information related to SMART inclusion: http://www.wix.com/monicabraat/smartinclusion. I'm hoping to soon write a post about applying some of the SMART inclusion philosophy in practice! Research shows benefits to all students in using the SMART inclusion approach.

My next research project for my masters course involves using a peer group to assist with introducing the PODD communication system to a couple of my upper elementary students. I'm hoping to use this as a springboard to incorporating some academic peer support strategies. I'm using several sources for background information but the one that I'm finding to be the most useful is a book called "Peer Support Strategies for Improving All Students Social Lives and Learning". The major focus of this book is around increasing both social and academic participation by having peers support students with significant disabilities. Research shows benefits to all students in using these types of strategies. The research project will be completed in early December but it is a spring board in to a lot of other things and I hope to be blogging about more as we go through the year as this is one of my big focuses for all of my students this year.

I have talked about the "Beyond Access Model" before. To me this is an approach that holds the most promise in regards to finding a systematic way to truly include my students in the long run. The model is built on presuming competence and taking a team approach to find ways to ensure that students with significant disabilities are able to participate socially, academically and in routines in a general education classroom. Ways to check fidelity and efficacy are built right in to the system. The idea behind this model is that membership in the classroom is assumed. When a student is a member we need to focus on increasing participation and learning will happen in the middle of participation. Traditionally we have focused on how to support learning (looking at access) but if we look at increasing participation instead then learning happens as a result of that participation. We still need to look at learning but we widen our focus.

Mom to a most amazing 19 year old, who has a developmental disability, graduated in June 2018, and is now stepping into a time in his life where he will explore more deeply his passions and interests and hopefully forge a meaningful path forward.

Completed my Masters with a focus area of Neuroscience and Inclusive Education through the University of Lethbridge April 2014.

Became certified as a Shanker Self-Reg Learning Facilitator through the Merhit Center in February 2018.

Currently working toward a Doctor of Education in the field of Educational Leadership through Western University. Expecting to officially be a "doctor" in 2021.